Klyver, K. and Arenius, P. (2020) ‘Networking, social skills and launching a new business: a 3-year study of nascent entrepreneurs’. Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, (Online First).

This article focuses on the skills and behaviours of entrepreneurs operating in social networks. It explores how networking with close social ties and weak ties influences the chances of having a successful business launch. It also explains how social skills can strengthen or weaken these effects.

Kitching, J. and Rouse, J. (2020) ‘Contesting effectuation theory: Why it does not explain new venture creation’. International Small Business Journal, 38, 6: 515-535.

This article questions whether the theory of effectuation is able to explain the process of new venture creation. The authors analyse the main concepts introduced as part of this theory and identify a number of limitations. They argue that effectuation theory takes insufficient account of how the venture creation process is affected by underlying social-structural and cultural contexts. In their view, this can result in under-socialised, ‘ahistorical’ accounts.

Henry, C., Foss, L. and Ahl, H. (2016) ‘Gender and entrepreneurship research: a review of methodological approaches’. International Small Business Journal, 34, 3: 217–41.

This article presents the findings of a systematic literature review (SLR) of the gender and entrepreneurship literature published in 18 journals over a 30-year period. It identifies methodological trends and identifies the changes needed in order for this field to move forward. The authors argue that future scholars need to engage with post-structural feminist approaches and make use of more innovative, in-depth qualitative methodologies such as life histories, case studies and discourse analysis.

Ahlstrom, D. and Ding, Z. (2014) ‘Entrepreneurship in China: an overview’. International Small Business Journal, 32, 6: 610–18.

This article offers an overview of entrepreneurship in China and introduces a special issue of the journal covering this subject. The authors summarise the range of entrepreneurship research being conducted and highlight important topics that are relevant to the Chinese context including entrepreneurial firms in China and the distinctive challenges faced by Chinese entrepreneurs. The article also discusses a potential research agenda in this area.